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Mon, 01 Feb 2016 15:45:59 -0500Mon, 01 Feb 2016 15:45:59 -0500Jekyll v2.5.3Young Millennials Are Changing The Game Of Life<ul>
<li><strong>Young Millennials are Millennials born after 1990, who entered college
after the beginning of the 2008 financial crisis</strong></li>
<li><strong>Studies have shown that there are significant differences between Young
Millennials and older Millennials</strong></li>
<li><strong>Many Young Millennials are disgusted by the stereotypes associated with
older Millennials, and wish to distance themselves</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><em>By <a href="https://www.facebook.com/rosemarypwilcox">Rosemary Wilcox</a></em></p>
<p><img src="http://beststoriesonline.com/watermarked/young1.jpg" alt="A Young Millennial woman at a Georgia Institute of Technology career
fair." /></p>
<p>"Being associated with Millennials is so embarrassing," says Melissa, a
third-year student at the Georgia Institute of Technology. It's a chilly night
in late October, and Melissa and her friends are at a campus bar discussing
their summer internship prospects. Most in the group are already talking to
recruiters at top companies in their chosen field.</p>
<p>"In TV shows and stuff, there's this idea that our generation is really
incompetent and unrealistic," says Anton, Melissa's boyfriend, or 'bae', as she
calls him. "But I don't think that applies to people like us, who are still in
college. We're different, I think."</p>
<blockquote>
<h3 id="being-associated-with-millennials-is-so-embarrassing">"Being associated with Millennials is so embarrassing."</h3>
</blockquote>
<p>Anton's statement echoes claims made by other young Millennials and the
marketing professionals that study them. A number of breathless articles in
publications like Elle, Forbes and the New York Times have recently proclaimed a
"generational divide" between younger and older Millennials. The divide between
younger and older Millennials is more than manufactured hype: pollsters focused
on the upcoming primary elections have discovered striking statistical
differences between the two age groups.</p>
<p><img src="http://beststoriesonline.com/watermarked/young2.jpg" alt="A chart showing the differences between Young and older Millennials from
Elle.com" /></p>
<p>If September 11th was the defining disaster of the older Millennial cohort, the
2008 Financial Crisis was the defining moment for Young Millennials. During
their formative late teen years, Young Millennials witnessed the crash of a
housing bubble that few even realized existed. Their parents, many of whom
participated in half-baked, abortive attempts at revolutionary culture during
the 70's and 80's, gave Young Millennials pragmatic advice about preparing for a
career in a difficult economy.</p>
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<p>Instead of growing up during a period of hysterical American exceptionalism,
Young Millennials grew up during a time when dealing with economic and foreign
policy realities finally became unavoidable. The failure of the War on Terror
and the financial crisis firmly reminded Americans that the 'American Century'
was over.</p>
<blockquote>
<h3 id="if-september-11th-was-the-defining-disaster-of-the-older-millennial-cohort-the-2008-financial-crisis-was-the-defining-moment-for-young-millennials">If September 11th was the defining disaster of the older Millennial cohort, the 2008 Financial Crisis was the defining moment for Young Millennials.</h3>
</blockquote>
<p>Some portraits of Young Millennials focus on the goal-oriented, intense, and
pre-professional nature of the group. "We are especially impressed to see how
Millennial teens are resiliently and optimistically responding to adversity and
preparing to win in the game of life," said Stephen Friedman, President of MTV.
Other portraits have focused on the fact that Young Millennials are the first
true digital natives, and seem to handle the ambiguities and stresses created by
the Internet with more aplomb than their older Millennial peers.</p>
<p><img src="http://beststoriesonline.com/watermarked/young3.jpg" alt="Studies have shown that Young Millennials are more likely to have positive
experiences using dating applications like Tinder." /></p>
<p>Over the last half decade, popular and alternative culture has shifted to
reflect the changing Millennial mindset. Indie rock, pop punk, and the poppy
hip hop tracks of the early 00's are gone, replaced by trap, EDM, and aggressive
superstars like Taylor Swift, Nicki Minaj, and a rebranded Kanye West.
According to the editor of a lifestyle branding company, Young Millennials are
more likely to understand "irony and identity crossover" due to their
experiences with culturally saturated Internet environment.</p>
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<p>In addition, aspirational movies and TV shows like "The Social Network", "Gossip
Girl", "Suits", "Girls", and "Mad Men" have helped to craft a psyche keenly
aware of unequal distributions of wealth, happiness, and beauty. Young
Millennials grew up with characters willing to sacrifice their own mental health
and happiness for a chance at success. Perhaps for this reason, a <a href="https://www.ketchum.com/news/break-ranks-among-millennial-males-18-25-year-olds-are-new-traditionalists-finds-ketchum-study">recent
study</a>
called Young Millennial males the "New Traditionalists". According to the
study, Young Millennial males are more likely than older Millennials to believe
that men should be the breadwinners and that they're the "strong silent type",
and less likely to be okay with sharing vulnerabilities.</p>
<p><img src="http://beststoriesonline.com/watermarked/young5.jpg" alt="A still from the USA show 'Suits', which portrays the complex relationship
between an ambitious Young Millennial and his mentor." /></p>
<p>However, Young Millennial males are not complete reactionaries. According to
the study, "young millennial males find it easier to talk about subjects like
relationships, health and insecurities that not long ago were considered too
private or 'unmanly' to share with guy friends," when compared to older
Millennial males. Writers like Jennifer Chan have posited the emergence of
<a href="http://bit.ly/1QsSUzU">"omega males"</a> who combine the best features of alpha
males and beta males, without all of the baggage of obsolescent modes of
masculinity.</p>
<blockquote>
<h3 id="young-millennials-grew-up-with-characters-willing-to-sacrifice-their-own-mental-health-and-happiness-for-a-chance-at-success">Young Millennials grew up with characters willing to sacrifice their own mental health and happiness for a chance at success.</h3>
</blockquote>
<p>Critiques of older Millennials are often gender-specific. Terms like like 'bro'
and 'manchild' emerged to describe underachieving older Millennial men.
These terms target the supposed inability of Millennial men to uphold American
standards of masculinity and independence. More recently, new media
professionals like Gaby Dunn (b. 1988) and Alan Henson (b. 1988) have
popularized words like "fuckboy" and "softboy", which are focused on men who use
privilege and manipulation to extract sexual favors.</p>
<p><img src="http://beststoriesonline.com/watermarked/young4.png" alt="'This Could Be Us, But You Playing' is a phrase used by Young Millennials
to signify the romantic opportunities of the early 10's." /></p>
<p>Older Millennial women are often the losers in the intersection of Young
Millennial and older Millennial sexual politics. According to Sasha, a
30-something living in New York, "older Millennial males who have their shit
together have the opportunity to form relationships with younger women, who
often find their power and relative success very attractive. This doesn't
really work the other way around, which creates an imbalance." Perhaps this
imbalance has prompted the creation of a diverse vocabulary of terms used to
'slam' Millennial men.</p>
<blockquote>
<h3 id="terms-like-bro-and-manchild--emerged-in-the-early-2000s-to-describe-underachieving-older-millennial-men">Terms like 'bro' and 'manchild' emerged in the early 2000's to describe underachieving older Millennial men.</h3>
</blockquote>
<p>However, the idea of the Young Millennial as goal-oriented and pre-professional
is far from universal, however. Another prominent face of the Young Millennial
is the "social justice warrior". For Young Millennials, social networking sites
like Tumblr and Facebook have become the primary site for a new political
discourse. Many writers in popular press have expressed their discomfort with
the praxis of Young Millennials, who have pushed for the introduction of
concepts like "safe spaces", "trigger warnings" and other social justice
concerns into the fabric of institutions of higher education.</p>
<hr />
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<p>Other Young Millennials are simply suffering from the fallout of the financial
crisis. A <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/johnzogby/2014/06/16/fascinating-demographic-differences-between-older-and-younger-millennials/">Zogby Analytics poll posted on
Forbes.com</a>
characterizes Young Millennials as "economic victims", showing that Young
Millennials are almost 10% more likely to fear losing their job, and are 8% more
likely to have gone without food for 24 hours due to lack of money. In
addition, Young Millennials are more likely to be non-religious. Perhaps, the
precarity Young Millennials have experienced is the reason they are polarized,
and <a href="http://www.marketwatch.com/story/why-millennials-are-supporting-donald-trump-and-bernie-sanders-2015-11-09">more likely to support highly
polarized</a>
candidates like Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump over more moderate candidates
like Hillary Clinton and Jeb Bush. Young Millennials on both sides of the
political spectrum are able to see through crafted media campaigns, and are only
responsive to truly radical messages.</p>
<p><img src="http://beststoriesonline.com/watermarked/young6.jpg" alt="Taylor Swift, alone on her boat." /></p>
<p>It's unclear which parts of the Young Millennial worldview will become dominant.
But, if Melissa and her 'bae' are any indicator, Young Millennials seem ready to
work towards radical change in pragmatic ways, driven by by own desire for
success and recognition. Hopefully, they will avoid the fate of their older
Millennial forebearers, and fulfill the promise of the 'next greatest
generation'.</p>
Mon, 16 Nov 2015 00:00:00 -0500http://beststoriesonline.com/business/2015/11/16/Young-Millennials-Older-Millennials.html
http://beststoriesonline.com/business/2015/11/16/Young-Millennials-Older-Millennials.htmlweirdbusinessIs 'Branded MDMA' the Future of Advertising?<ul>
<li><strong>Large corporations including Snapchat, Starbucks Coffee, and SoulCycle are
reportedly making secret deals with MDMA manufacturers</strong></li>
<li><strong>Brand logos are pressed into high-quality ecstacy tablets</strong></li>
<li><strong>According to advertising executives, the practice is a cost-effective way to
create positive brand associations</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><em>By <a href="https://www.facebook.com/rosemarypwilcox">Rosemary P. Wilcox</a></em></p>
<p><img src="http://beststoriesonline.com/watermarked/mdma1.jpg" alt="" /></p>
<p>Robert Antalek, 28, is one of the many young men hoping to profit from the end
of the 'War on Drugs'. He has built a successful advertising agency that connects
companies with drug manufacturers willing to develop lines of <a href="https://www.erowid.org/chemicals/mdma/mdma_images_gallery1.shtml">'branded MDMA'</a>.</p>
<p>Antalek sells companies on the idea that drug users will associate their brand's
logo with the positive, emotional experiences provided by high-quality MDMA
tablets.</p>
<p>When asked if he thought of himself as a "Drug War Carpetbagger", Antalek said
that he was "proud of his work".</p>
<p>"Molly is a clean drug, and branded Molly helps consumers have a safe, fun
experience."</p>
<p><img src="http://beststoriesonline.com/watermarked/mdma5.jpg" alt="'Branded MDMA' with SoulCycle, Instagram, UPS, Tesla, and Dom Perignon
logos." /></p>
<p>We met Antalek at his office in Lockport, New York, on the condition that his
name and all identifying characteristics be altered.</p>
<p>He said that his business uses a system of proxies that allows both drug
manufacturers and corporate entities maintain plausible deniability.</p>
<blockquote>
<h3 id="molly-is-a-clean-drug-and-branded-molly-helps-consumers-have-a-safe-fun-experience">"Molly is a clean drug, and branded Molly helps consumers have a safe, fun experience."</h3>
</blockquote>
<p>Antalek helps to arrange deals between brands and a network of small
manufacturers in Canada, who are known for their ability to create aesthetically
pleasing MDMA tablets.</p>
<p>Companies like Snapchat, Starbucks, and SoulCycle have paid to add custom
branding (including color and logo imprints) to MDMA tablets. The drugs are
then distributed organically in the United States and Europe.</p>
<p><img src="http://beststoriesonline.com/watermarked/mdma8.jpg" alt="Pill presses and dies similar to those used by the manufacturers that Robert
Antalek does business with." /></p>
<p>'Branded MDMA' became a phenomenon in the late 2000's without the help of beefy
advertising budgets. EDM (Electronic Dance Music) helped to popularize
unadulterated MDMA, often sold as 'Molly'.</p>
<p>Concerns about the purity of the drug led small manufacturers to purchase pill
presses and develop identifying marks for their Molly.</p>
<blockquote>
<h3 id="our-generation-is-a-lot-more-comfortable-with-logos-and-branding">"Our generation is a lot more comfortable with logos and branding."</h3>
</blockquote>
<p>Some of these early innovators chose whimsical images from cartoons or 60's
counterculture, while other manufacturers chose corporate logos, usually without
obtaining authorization from trademark owners.</p>
<p><img src="http://beststoriesonline.com/watermarked/mdma7.jpg" alt="Late 2000's MDMA without corporate sponsorship." /></p>
<p>"Our generation is a lot more comfortable with logos and branding, I think, as
long as it's done well," said Antalek. "When we see a sexy brand like Audi or
Chanel on something unexpected, we're more likely to be like 'lol' or 'cool',
than 'wow, that's lame'."</p>
<hr />
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<p>Antalek said that advertising executives usually find him through traditional
dealer networks, and often reach out simply due to curiosity.</p>
<blockquote>
<h3 id="this-is-the-future-of-the-ad-tech-world">"This is the future of the ad tech world."</h3>
</blockquote>
<p>But when Antalek shows executives the CPI and ROI metrics generated by branded
MDMA, the executives usually find a way to discreetly allocate funds for a deal.</p>
<p>"There's so much advertising out there. Only something like the emotional
experience of taking Molly can break through the noise of Internet and TV ads.
This is the future of the ad tech world. Subtly branded experiences."</p>
<p><img src="http://beststoriesonline.com/watermarked/mdma6.jpg" alt="An MDMA desktop background found on the 'MDMA Team' tumblr." /></p>
<p>Users of social networks like tumblr seem to appreciate the work of the small
drug presses. According to Antalek, there are many blogs that
exclusively share images of "beautiful" MDMA tablets, and discuss the feelings
generated by the pills.</p>
<p><img src="http://beststoriesonline.com/watermarked/mdma3.jpg" alt="'Snapchat Yellow' 200mg MDMA tablets." /></p>
<p>In recent months, a type of Molly known as <a href="http://animalnewyork.com/2014/snapchat-drug-probably-just-dirty-mdma-totally-dangerous/">"Yellow
Snapchat"</a>
has become very popular in American high schools. When we asked Antalek if
there was any connection between the "Yellow Snapchat" tablets and the recent
disclosure of Snapchat's $82.8M USD operating expenses in 2014, Antalek simply
smiled and showed us a picture of him and Snapchat's founder, Evan Spiegal. In
the picture, the two are embracing at a music festival.</p>
<p>"Evan and I had fun in college. I looked out for Evan, I was kind of like his
big brother. He doesn't want Snapchat to be another boring tech company. I'm
helping him make sure that doesn't ever happen."</p>
Tue, 13 Oct 2015 00:00:00 -0400http://beststoriesonline.com/business/2015/10/13/Branded-Molly-Causes-Alarm.html
http://beststoriesonline.com/business/2015/10/13/Branded-Molly-Causes-Alarm.htmlweirdwrongbusinessLinkedIn Launches Premium 'Apply All' Feature<ul>
<li><strong>Emerging from $13 million dollar settlement for spamming users, LinkedIn introduces new bulk application feature</strong></li>
<li><strong>Could provide extremely useful for underemployed millennials</strong></li>
<li><strong>Human Resource professionals give new feature mixed review</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><em>By <a href="https://www.facebook.com/rosemarypwilcox">Rosemary Wilcox</a></em></p>
<p>Earlier this week the professional networking site <a href="http://www.linkedin.com">LinkedIn</a> settled a lawsuit claiming that the service damaged reputations with a feature that repeatedly emailed contacts on behalf of its users. The suit alleges that users clicking the pernicious "Add Connections" button were not made aware of the scale at which the LinkedIn service would contact persons on their behalf. This feature sent up to five emails to users' contacts begging contacts from users' email address books to "please add me to your LinkedIn network."</p>
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<p><img src="http://beststoriesonline.com/watermarked/linkedin2.png" alt="Front end web developer's rendering of LinkedIn's contact page." /></p>
<p>Yesterday LinkedIn announced a new feature on the tail of the lawsuit, 'Apply All", which allows simple one-click submission to up to as many 1,000 open positions. Users simply pick from a list of job categories and a location and can submit their credentials in bulk.</p>
<p><img src="http://beststoriesonline.com/watermarked/linkedin1.png" alt="New Apply All feature on www.linkedin.com." /></p>
<p>Project Manager Reni Cao was reached for comment over LinkedIn InMail by BSO and described the new feature as "enabling job seekers to apply for jobs more efficiently." The feature was implemented after user testing with "older millennials" (groups of college educated men and women ages 28 to 32) who tend to be underemployed as a factor of beginning their careers at the height of the economic recession of 2008. Cao stated that "{this} demographic is in need of a lot of help, and we at LinkedIn are tasked with delivering the best experience for jobseekers."</p>
<p><img src="http://beststoriesonline.com/watermarked/linkedin3.png" alt="Reni Cao." /></p>
<p>BSO also spoke with Human Resource professional Jonathan Hyman who commented that "we really like to give the most attention to applicants that give the most attention to applying for roles, so I'm really doubtful this tool will bring us any great folks looking for jobs."</p>
<p><img src="http://beststoriesonline.com/watermarked/linkedin4.png" alt="Jonathan Hyman." /></p>
Fri, 09 Oct 2015 00:00:00 -0400http://beststoriesonline.com/wrong/2015/10/09/Apply-All-LinkedIn-Feature.html
http://beststoriesonline.com/wrong/2015/10/09/Apply-All-LinkedIn-Feature.htmlweirdwrongwrongThe Movie 'Drive' (2011) Radically Changed My Life<ul>
<li><strong>I watched the movie 'Drive' and decided to act like Driver</strong></li>
<li><strong>I gradually changed my habits and mannerisms to match movie character</strong></li>
<li><strong>My new personsa helped me find romantic happiness and success</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><em>By Anon</em></p>
<p><strong>This really happened.</strong></p>
<p>About four years ago, I had a good job, but didn't have many friends because I worked the 3rd shift. I was single, despite the fact that I'm a decent looking guy.</p>
<p>One night, I went to the movie theater and watched 'Drive' alone.</p>
<p>It changed my life. I wanted to be Driver.</p>
<p><img src="http://beststoriesonline.com/watermarked/drive1.jpg" alt="Pictured: A still of Ryan Gosling in 'Drive' (2011)." /></p>
<p>I got my hair cut like Driver and started to wear clothes like Driver. I didn't get a Scorpion jacket though, I'm not autistic.</p>
<p>I start to behave to like Driver. Quiet but cool.</p>
<p>I bought a brand new 2011 Mustang GT 5.0 because Driver drove one and I made enough money, so fuck it.</p>
<p><img src="http://beststoriesonline.com/watermarked/drive2.jpg" alt="Pictured: A still of Ryan Gosling's jacket in 'Drive' (2011)." /></p>
<p>I started to eat at this little diner every night. I eventually became a regular, and the staff would save me a spot.</p>
<p>There's a cutie-pie waitress who would always chat me up, or give me free pie.</p>
<p>I reciprocated but remained vague and brooding. I could tell she wanted me.</p>
<p>One night, I asked her if she wanted to go for a drive. She gladly accepted.</p>
<p>We cruised the night listening to the 'Drive' soundtrack.</p>
<p><img src="http://beststoriesonline.com/watermarked/drive3.jpg" alt="Pictured: A still of Carey Mulligan in 'Drive' (2011)." /></p>
<p>I dropped her off at her apartment, and she asked if I wanted to come inside for coffee.</p>
<p>"Oh fuck yes," I thought. But I played it cool: I brooded for a second, and then replied with a simple "…yeah".</p>
<p>We fucked.</p>
<hr />
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<p>The waitress and I started dating.</p>
<p>I continue to keep up my Driver shlick. She introduce me to her friends, and they think I'm cool as fuck.</p>
<p>Some of her dude friends started to wear skinny jeans, white tees, like me. Holy fuck, lol, I thought.</p>
<p>One night her and I sat down to watch a movie on demand.</p>
<p>She browsed through the movies, stopping on Drive.</p>
<p><img src="http://beststoriesonline.com/watermarked/drive4.jpg" alt="Pictured: A promotional image of 'Drive' (2011)." /></p>
<p>"Oh fuck," I thought.</p>
<p>"Have you seen this yet," she asked?</p>
<p>"Shit shit shit play it cool man, what would Drive do?" I thought.</p>
<p>I brooded for a second. "Nah, it's not my thing," I said.</p>
<p>We ended up watching Bridesmaids.</p>
<p>We're still dating today, and she doesn't know I've been pretending to be Ryan Gosling for over four years.</p>
Thu, 08 Oct 2015 00:00:00 -0400http://beststoriesonline.com/mystory/2015/10/08/Drive-Changed-My-Life.html
http://beststoriesonline.com/mystory/2015/10/08/Drive-Changed-My-Life.htmlweirddrive mememystoryAmerican Apparel Offered Bailout from City of Los Angeles<ul>
<li><strong>Controversial Los Angeles-based clothing company American Apparel filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Monday</strong></li>
<li><strong>Los Angeles puts forward offer to bailout embattled company</strong></li>
<li><strong>Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti says city "cannot afford to lose the manufacturing jobs"</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><em>By <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009311557342">Jonathan Denton</a></em></p>
<p>This morning American Apparel filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection after undergoing a turn-around from the leadership of ousted Dov Charney. Charney was fired for sexual harassment and mismanagement from the company in 2014. Since then, CEO Paula Schneider has attempted a resuscitation of the business and its reputation, closing stores and toning down advertising campaigns.</p>
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<p><img src="http://beststoriesonline.com/watermarked/american_apparel1.png" alt="Dov Charney with frightened dog." /></p>
<p>Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti announced in a press conference this afternoon that the City of Los Angeles will offer the company a bailout. The details of which include the City of Los Angeles will take temporary ownership of the corporation until the business is stable enough to be sold. Garcetti explained that "American Apparel provides too many manufacturing jobs and Los Angeles will suffer as a result of its closure."</p>
<p><img src="http://beststoriesonline.com/watermarked/american_apparel.png" alt="American Apparel Headquarters in Downtown Los Angeles." /></p>
<p>Distict 3 Los Angeles City Council Member Bob Blumenfield commented to Best Stories Online that "American Apparel is too American to fail. This company has introduced a new model for business in our community."</p>
<p>The community reaction has been mixed to this proposal. 22-year-old Los Angeles resident Marigold Sharp told Best Stories Online "This is ridiculous. Our city doesn't need to be bailing out this irrelevant corporation" in an interview at a Beverly Hills Starbucks.</p>
<p>David Castlesand, a 25-year-old American Apparel retail employee at the Little Tokyo location in Los Angeles, commented "Oh man. If that actually happens, that would be extremely cool."</p>
Mon, 05 Oct 2015 00:00:00 -0400http://beststoriesonline.com/local/2015/10/05/breaking-american-apparel-bailout.html
http://beststoriesonline.com/local/2015/10/05/breaking-american-apparel-bailout.htmlweirdwronglocalYoung Woman Attempts Suicide, Leaves Note Written Entirely in Emoji<ul>
<li><strong>High-performing finance worker crumbled under stress and depression</strong></li>
<li><strong>The woman attempted suicide by phenobarbital overdose</strong></li>
<li><strong>Victim was found with a note written entirely in the Emoji font</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><em>By <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009311557342">Jonathan Denton</a></em></p>
<p><strong>Names changed to protect the privacy of those involved</strong></p>
<p>Samantha Ross was preparing to have dinner with her fiancé when she received a
text from her co-worker and friend Claire Castlewood.</p>
<p>Castlewood had just been passed over for a promotion at the Manhattan investment
bank where they worked, and also recently ended a relationship with her college
sweetheart.</p>
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<p>The alarming text, composed completely in Emoji, caused Ross to cancel her plans
and head over to the Upper East Side apartment of her friend.</p>
<p>Ross found Castlewood unconscious on her Room and Board Eden Convertible Sleeper
Sofa. Ross quickly called law enforcement, and paramedics arrived to
resuscitate Castlewood, who had no history of mental health treatment.</p>
<p>Officers at the scene retained a printout found next to Castlewood's unconscious
body. The printout seemed to be an image of Castlewood's cellular phone
produced by a photocopier, showing yet another long string of cryptic emoji.</p>
<p><img src="http://beststoriesonline.com/watermarked/emoji1.png" alt="An image of what the evidence report might have looked like." /></p>
<p>The precinct office would not disclose the contents of the note, but Ross said
that the juxtaposition of the 'bathtub with person' and 'bathtub without person'
Emoji made her friend's intentions clear.</p>
<p>An anonymous source said that Castlewood recently started attending women in
finance MeetUp groups. We also learned that the victim had lost her beloved cat
to old age.</p>
<p><img src="http://beststoriesonline.com/watermarked/emoji3.png" alt="A 2012 photo of victim and cat provided by anonymous source." /></p>
Sun, 04 Oct 2015 00:00:00 -0400http://beststoriesonline.com/local/2015/10/04/Emoji-Suicide.html
http://beststoriesonline.com/local/2015/10/04/Emoji-Suicide.htmlweirdwronglocalWhy 'Weird Facebook' is the Next Great Internet Subculture<ul>
<li><strong>Weird Facebook is a subculture of meme pages, secret groups, friend
networks, and personalities</strong></li>
<li><strong>Weird Facebook is a result of the failure of alternative Millenial
institutions</strong></li>
<li><strong>The scalability of Facebook allows for the creation of unprecedented
"virtual realities"</strong></li>
<li><strong>Weird Facebook is a mix of different social classes, motivations,
aesthetics, interests, and belief systems</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><em>By <a href="https://www.facebook.com/rosemarypwilcox">Rosemary Wilcox</a></em></p>
<h3 id="facebook-is-uncool">Facebook Is Uncool</h3>
<p>In a recent <a href="http://investor.fb.com/results.cfm">earnings call</a>, Facebook CFO
David Ebersman was pleased to announce that Facebook "remained close to fully
penetrated among teens in the U.S." Ebersman was replying to an concerned
investor worrying that Facebook was becoming "uncool" and losing traction with
younger users. This comment seems to highlight the popular notion that Facebook
has become next MySpace.</p>
<p><img src="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ptsteadman/best-stories-online/master/watermarked/weirdfb2.jpg" alt="&quot;What To Do If Your Child Blocks You on Facebook&quot;, from The Independent" /></p>
<p>Therefore, it's surprising that many observers of the Internet are calling
Facebook the next big thing for culture, art, and authentic alternative life.
Dis Magazine <a href="http://bit.ly/1cXr1J1">identified</a> Facebook as "the dominant
platform" for art and artists, and a <a href="http://bit.ly/1sKINLM">piece in n+1</a> noted
that the average Facebook profile has about the same amount of text and literary
value as the average novel.</p>
<hr />
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<p>A rather bland term has emerged to describe the interesting parts of Facebook:
"Weird Facebook", a subculture within normal Facebook, a loose network of meme
pages, secret groups, and most importantly, personalities and friendships. A
bewildered reporter at the <a href="http://bit.ly/1j1orvf">Daily Dot</a> described Weird
Facebook as an "inscrutable world" that "shouldn't exist", where David Lynch and
Yung Lean seem to have "projected their consciousnesses onto social media".</p>
<p><img src="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ptsteadman/best-stories-online/master/watermarked/weirdfb3.jpg" alt="" />
<img src="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ptsteadman/best-stories-online/master/watermarked/weirdfb4.jpg" alt="" />
<img src="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ptsteadman/best-stories-online/master/watermarked/weirdfb5.jpg" alt="From &quot;Inside the Inscrutable World of Weird Facebook&quot;" /></p>
<p>An insider we talked to described "Weird FB" as a community of people who have
"10+ mutual friends in the 'art world'", a place where "long text updates are
welcome." The insider said that she knows someone is an observer or participant
of Weird Facebook if <a href="https://www.facebook.com/cunnyrogers">Bunny Rogers</a> is a
mutual friend.</p>
<p><img src="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ptsteadman/best-stories-online/master/watermarked/weirdfbkw.jpg" alt="The Facebook profile of Krist Wood, a net artist. Like many artists and
writers, he has some number of followers, and many of his posts are
." /></p>
<p><img src="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ptsteadman/best-stories-online/master/watermarked/weirdfb8.jpg" alt="A photo upload (via Instagram) by artist Amalia Ulman, who used Facebook and
Instagram for a months-long performance art piece." /></p>
<p>Another individual said that becoming part of Weird Facebook was "a natural
transition from being a heavy reader", and that her Facebook friends were "a
big comfort". A survey of Weird Facebook includes 'art world' people, writers,
4chan and reddit users, people who are obsessed with rare memes, IRL
influencers, social justice 'warriors', and seemingly normal people who love
shitposting on Facebook. Some people on Weird Facebook use their real name,
which is sometimes a Google-able brand, and others have multiple shell accounts,
accounts that are often deleted by Facebook's automated moderation systems.</p>
<p><img src="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ptsteadman/best-stories-online/master/watermarked/weirdfbm.jpg" alt="The public Facebook status of an individual without a public brand, who nevertheless has a large Facebook fan group page. " /></p>
<p><img src="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ptsteadman/best-stories-online/master/watermarked/weirdfb10.jpg" alt="A long-form personal post by an 'alternate
account'." /></p>
<p>Why is all this weird art and meme stuff happening on Facebook, specifically?
The Daily Dot noted that "Facebook is not the forum for this kind of shit at
all."</p>
<h3 id="facebook-was-once-exclusive">Facebook Was Once Exclusive</h3>
<p>In the formative days of Facebook, you could only get a profile if you went to
Harvard, a fact that gave the social network a whiff of exclusivity. Facebook
was full of "real people", not spam accounts, and had a clean, whitespace-heavy
UI. Friendships on Facebook represented real-life relationships, worth some
amount of social capital. These features helped set Facebook apart from its
main competitor, MySpace.</p>
<p><img src="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ptsteadman/best-stories-online/master/watermarked/weirdfb99.png" alt="The Facebook profile of a software engineer at
Facebook." /></p>
<p>Despite Facebook's aggressive demographic and geographic expansion, the website
has attempted to ensure that Facebook accounts always correspond to real people,
and that Facebook friendships correspond to real friendships. In practice, this
resulted in Facebook deleting the accounts that people made for their pets,
along with the accounts of transgender individuals who change their names.
Facebook also takes measures to prevent people from requesting friendship with
people they don't know from real life.</p>
<p><img src="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ptsteadman/best-stories-online/master/watermarked/weirdfb1.jpg" alt="" /></p>
<p>Why are artists and weirdos talking on Facebook, instead of some cooler,
alternative site on the Internet with less restrictions? Like Ello, for
example? Subcultures have always tried to build their own institutions, often
around custom websites, businesses, or publications. In many ways, founding an
alternative institutions is the Gen X and Millennial dream. So why are the
greatest and weirdest minds of our generation having the conversations that
matter most in the bleak terminal morass that is Facebook?</p>
<p><img src="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ptsteadman/best-stories-online/master/watermarked/weirdfbcorp.jpg" alt="&quot;Corporate Aesthetics: Environment and Object&quot;, one of many Facebook groups
devoted to sharing content related to a very granular aesthetic or
interest." /></p>
<p><img src="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ptsteadman/best-stories-online/master/watermarked/weirdfbinb4.jpg" alt="&quot;inb4&quot;, one of many selfie/look/erotica Facebook groups, where people post
images of themselves, sometimes in ways that are against Facebook's content
policies. The members of the group have to trust each other not to report
content, or the group will be deleted. The following people administrate the group: Elizabeth Mputu, Seashell Coker, Parker Bright, Jack Collier
Maya Bayhan. " /></p>
<h3 id="the-internet-subculture-diaspora">The Internet Subculture Diaspora</h3>
<p>The past year has been rough for Internet subcultures. Alt Lit finally
fragmented due to multiple rape scandals, Net Art continued its downward slide
into the corporate art world, Hipster Runoff quietly died (for real this time),
vaporwave stalled, Gamergate happened, Reddit suffered a series of embarrassing
scandals, and the founder of 4chan threw in the towel.</p>
<p><img src="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ptsteadman/best-stories-online/master/watermarked/weirdfbt.jpg" alt="&quot;This Literary Community&quot;, one of several groups to form after the reported
&quot;death&quot; of Alt Lit in October
2014." /></p>
<p>All of these subcultures are (or were) rooted in specific websites and brands:
popserial.net, dump.fm, hipsterunoff, ello.co, rhizome.org, /b, Macintosh Plus,
Feminist Frequency, Yung Lean. They failed, sometimes due to the "observation
effect", sometimes due to bad behavior by the part of their founders, or
sometimes just to entropy. These subcultures only matter to small, incestuous
groups of people, except when they "fuck up". The Millennial failure to create
scalable alternative institutions has meant that many younger people are in
retreat, along with the weird friends they made elsewhere on the Internet.</p>
<hr />
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<p>Often, it seems that all that remains of old subcultures like Tumblr,
LiveJournal, or Neopets are the Facebook friendships. These are the online
relationships that people loved enough to bring into the sphere of Facebook, the
realm of real life.</p>
<h3 id="facebook-real-life-and-normies">Facebook, Real Life, and "Normies"</h3>
<p>For many, Facebook has become the social network where "real life" happens.
It's where people announce their new achievements, relationships, marriages, and
children. But what if you don't have any of these things? What if you don't
have a "real life"?</p>
<p><img src="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ptsteadman/best-stories-online/master/watermarked/weirdfb15.jpg" alt="Image macros from the alternative meme Facebook group, &quot;People that Aumm
sometimes and are also... ooohhhh.....&quot;" /></p>
<p>"I guess I got into 'weird facebook' after I failed out of college and was
living with my parents," said Lucas, the owner of a page dedicated to music
memes. "No one called it [weird facebook] at the time obviously, I had no idea
what I was doing. I added some weird musicians and writers that I was into.
Eventually I added so many of these people that facebook started suggesting more
of them, and I'd get a bunch of requests."</p>
<p><img src="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ptsteadman/best-stories-online/master/watermarked/weirdfb16.jpg" alt="The suggested friends of a Weird Facebook user." /></p>
<p>"This was like, four years ago? Now I have hundreds of mutual friends with
people who I've never met, and never will meet. My mom sometimes asks me about
weird things that she sees 'on my facebook'. I guess everything I do shows up
in her newsfeed because she has so few friends."</p>
<h3 id="the-scalability-of-weird-facebook">The Scalability of Weird Facebook</h3>
<p>There's a tension between the "normal" usage of Facebook and the alternative
users, who want to use Facebook like they used tumblr or a personal blog.
There's also a tension between the sophisticated, ambitious 'culture world'
users of facebook and those just want to do weird things on Facebook for the
hell of it, because Facebook provides an excellent platform for shitposting.</p>
<p><img src="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ptsteadman/best-stories-online/master/watermarked/weirdfb12.jpg" alt="" />
<img src="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ptsteadman/best-stories-online/master/watermarked/weirdfb14.jpg" alt="" />
<img src="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ptsteadman/best-stories-online/master/watermarked/weirdfb13.jpg" alt="Photography and statuses by Anthony F Liseno. Liseno unintentionally became
a part of Weird Facebook thanks to the company's friend suggestion algorithm,
which runs on
over 50 servers with 144 Gigabytes of memory
each." /></p>
<p>It's hard to point at any one thing that can represent Weird Facebook. There's
no one page or person that defines weird facebook, and this is part of what
makes weird facebook robust. Weird Facebook is an emergent property of a
certain network of people, not an aesthetic that someone pushed as part of an
agenda. The networked nature of Weird Facebook is what will allow it to scale,
and allow it to survive scandal or changing fashions. Weird Facebooks rests
upon a vivid virtual reality created by millions of man-years of engineering, a
reality that's hard to match anywhere else on the Internet.</p>
Thu, 01 Oct 2015 00:00:00 -0400http://beststoriesonline.com/science/2015/10/01/Weird-Facebook-Normie-Facebook.html
http://beststoriesonline.com/science/2015/10/01/Weird-Facebook-Normie-Facebook.htmlhotweirdscienceObama Invites Pizza Rat to White House<ul>
<li><strong>President Obama invites famous rat to bring prized slice of pizza to Washington</strong></li>
<li><strong>Pizza Rat has not been seen since his sudden rise to fame, current whereabouts unknown</strong></li>
<li><strong>Republican frontrunner Donald Trump criticizes POTUS’ move, calls Pizza Rat a “quitter” with “no class”</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><em>By <a href="https://www.facebook.com/madisonwtavarez">Madison Tavarez</a></em></p>
<p>Earlier this week, the world was introduced to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPXUG8q4jKU">Pizza Rat</a>. For those of you who have been living under a ROCK, Pizza Rat is a very viral rat who was filmed carrying a big slice down subway steps. Eventually he gave up, but that hasn’t prevented President Obama from inviting him to bring his prized possession all the way to the White House!</p>
<p><img src="http://beststoriesonline.com/watermarked/pizzarat.jpg" alt="" /></p>
<p>Yes, the President personally tweeted an invitation to the celebrated rodent (cute!)</p>
<p><img src="http://beststoriesonline.com/watermarked/tweet.jpg" alt="Obama’s tweet to the Pizza Rat." /></p>
<p>Cute! Not everyone is pleased, however. This includes leading Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, who said earlier:</p>
<p>“The President, he thinks this is great, you know, he thinks ‘oh, ok, I’ll invite this popular rat to Washington with his slice of pizza—well, I get that it’s not small compared to the rat, but you know—and he’s [Obama] all like, ‘this is great.’”</p>
<p><img src="http://beststoriesonline.com/watermarked/pizzarat2.jpg" alt="Donald Trump is none too pleased with Pizza Rat." /></p>
<p>Trump had harsh words for Pizza Rat himself that attack the popular narrative of bravery that launched it to fame.</p>
<hr />
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<p>“Pizza Rat, you know, he’s not some hero. Who is he? He’s a quitter. Sure, he dragged the slice for a bit but at the end of the day, he gave up. And if you think I’m wrong, just ask yourself, where is this guy? He’s really nowhere right now.”</p>
<p><img src="http://beststoriesonline.com/watermarked/pizzarat4.jpg" alt="Pizza Rat defeated, unable to carry the slice any further." /></p>
<p>Trump’s supporters were quick to acknowledge Trump’s point. Not only has Pizza Rat yet to accept President Obama’s invitation—Pizza Rat has not been heard from since its rise to prominence.</p>
<p>White House press secretary Joshua Earnest spoke on this matter at a press conference earlier today.</p>
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<p>“I think Pizza Rat’s story resonated so deeply with the public for a number of reasons. He’s a hard worker. He’s determined. He’s a rat who lives in a New York City subway station and is intrigued by interesting new garbage. He wants that garbage and he makes it his business to acquire it. The President is intrigued by this. He wants to see more.”</p>
<p>Earnest declined to comment on conspiracy theories circulating on Internet forums proposing that the Pizza Rat phenomenon is a hoax.</p>
<p><img src="http://beststoriesonline.com/watermarked/pizzarat1.jpg" alt="The somewhat-burnt beast of burden for the beleaguered rat." /></p>
<p>A hoax?! Give us a break. That pizza looks as real as apple pie.</p>
<p><img src="http://beststoriesonline.com/watermarked/pizzarat3.jpg" alt="" /></p>
<p>Have a safe weekend, everybody!</p>
Thu, 24 Sep 2015 00:00:00 -0400http://beststoriesonline.com/celebrity/2015/09/24/pizzarat.html
http://beststoriesonline.com/celebrity/2015/09/24/pizzarat.htmlweirdwrongwtfcelebrityEquinox Fitness Reportedly Offering Discounts to Attractive People and Foreigners<ul>
<li><strong>Equinox reportedly offers discounted rates to attractive users of low-rent gyms</strong></li>
<li><strong>$175 a month memberships fees attract the rich, but not often the beautiful</strong></li>
<li><strong>Opinions about practice divided among clients paying full price</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><em>By <a href="https://www.facebook.com/rosemarypwilcox">Rosemary P. Wilcox</a></em></p>
<p>Earlier this month, Andrew Risbey, 22, walked into the Equinox Fitness at 255 Liberty Street in Manhattan prepared to sign up for a costly monthly membership. He was surprised when the receptionist at the front desk instead offered him a steeply discounted rate of $40 a month, less than one-third of the standard membership price of $175 a month.</p>
<p>"They said they really liked my accent, and wanted me around," said Mr. Risbey, a native of Chelmsford, England, who currently works at a law firm in the financial district. He speculated that his experience as a college athlete may have also been a factor in why he received the discounted rate.</p>
<p><img src="http://beststoriesonline.com/watermarked/equinox1.png" alt="Ultra lux Equinox locations in Greenwich, Connecticut and Beverly Hills, California (top left, right); Planet Fitness locations in reclaimed stripmall space in Boise, Idaho and Buffalo, New York. (bottom left, right)" /></p>
<p>Other individuals have reported receiving similar discounts on internet forums like Yelp and Wall Street Oasis, and debated the merits of the practice. Commenters on Wall Street Oasis <a href="http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forums/is-equinox-worth-200-per-month">praised the new "talent"</a> at the Equinox locations they attend, while Yelp reviewers criticized Equinox's <a href="http://www.yelp.com/topic/great-neck-any-advice-on-joining-equinox-gym">discriminatory practices</a>. Industry insiders think that Equinox Fitness may be testing an unofficial program where discounted memberships are offered to younger, desirable men and women in order to improve the atmosphere of its clubs. Sometimes, these discounts are offered under the guise of a "student discount".</p>
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<p>A former Equinox consultant explained under the condition of anonymity that "[Equinox] hired a firm to scout and poach users of other gyms, including bargain chains such as Planet Fitness, Retro Fitness and Blink Fitness. The scouts were told to approach men and women that fit brand guidelines and tell them they could work out at Equinox for what they pay at their current gyms."</p>
<p>The brand guidelines reportedly include that male recruits must be between 8% and 10% body fat and females must be between 14% and 17%. An emphasis was placed on recruits that had characteristics like an European accent or modelesque physique.</p>
<p><img src="http://beststoriesonline.com/watermarked/equinox3.jpg" alt="Body fat percentage chart showing both men and women." /></p>
<p>The source elaborated that "it makes a lot of sense: there are plenty of attractive people in New York City who have made choices that have left them with limited financial resources. We signed up a lot of aspiring actors and models for this program. And $40 a month is still a decent amount of profit for Equinox."</p>
<p><img src="http://beststoriesonline.com/watermarked/equinox2.png" alt="Ad campaign for Equinox by Terry Richardson, who recently photographed Dalai Lama, and an ad campaign for Planet Fitness." /></p>
<p>Equinox Holdings Inc. is currently fighting a <a href="http://www.law360.com/articles/701629/fitness-club-chain-seeks-sanctions-in-discrimination-suit">discrimination suit</a> brought by a former trainer, and the legality of offering such discounts could also be contested.</p>
<p>Mr. Risbey says that he appreciates the discount, but feels uneasy about the potential unfairness of the deal. "They encouraged me to invite my friends. It's a great gym, but I'm not sure how I feel about the whole affair, it doesn't seem quite right. I think people should know about discounts like this."</p>
Thu, 24 Sep 2015 00:00:00 -0400http://beststoriesonline.com/business/2015/09/24/equinox-gym-offers-discounts.html
http://beststoriesonline.com/business/2015/09/24/equinox-gym-offers-discounts.htmlweirdwrongbusinessDalai Lama Photographed by Terry Richardson in New York<ul>
<li><strong>The Dalai Lama participates in photoshoot with notorious photographer Terry Richardson</strong></li>
<li><strong>His holiness made controversial comments made earlier today, saying that a female Dalai Lama would have to have an “attractive face”</strong></li>
<li><strong>Embattled monk offers clarification in typical zen fashion</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><em>By <a href="https://www.facebook.com/madisonwtavarez">Madison Tavarez</a></em></p>
<p>His holiness the Dalai Lama has found himself in some hot water this week after making some <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-34316578">tone-deaf comments</a> about women (ugh). But that hasn’t stopped him from dropping by the studio of notorious photographer Terry Richardson for a photoshoot.</p>
<p><img src="http://beststoriesonline.com/watermarked/dalaicover.jpg" alt="" /></p>
<p>The controversy stems from comments the Lama made during an <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-34316578">interview</a> with BBC News on Monday. When asked if he believes a woman could be his successor, the Dalai Lama replied yes, but that she “must be very attractive.”</p>
<p>“Why not?” he went on. “The female biologically has more potential to show affection.”</p>
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<p>The Dalai Lama is not the first powerful world leader to be photographed by Terry Richardson. In 2007, Richardson took an iconic photograph of Barack Obama, who became President of the United States just a year later.</p>
<p>More recently, Richardson has drawn criticism for <a href="http://www.vocativ.com/underworld/sex/terry-richardsons-skype-chat-brainless-underage-model/">alleged abuse</a> of photography subjects and his controversial viewpoints. For example, he once said of breaking into modeling, “It’s not who you know, it’s who you blow. I don’t have a hole in my jeans for nothing.”</p>
<p><img src="http://beststoriesonline.com/watermarked/dalai1.jpg" alt="The Dalai Lama posing during his photoshoot with Terry Richardson." /></p>
<p>When asked during the photoshoot what he would say to the many disappointed supporters that may find his opinion misguided, the Dalai Lama offered a response in the form of a zen proverb on acceptance.</p>
<p>“We can never obtain peace in the outer world until we make peace with ourselves.”</p>
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<p>When pressed for clarification, he replied, “Too much self-centered attitude, you see, brings, you see, isolation. Result: loneliness, fear, anger. The extreme self-centered attitude is the source of suffering.”</p>
<p><img src="http://beststoriesonline.com/watermarked/dalai2.jpg" alt="The Dalai Lama attending a charity dinner with former President George W. Bush." /></p>
<p>Wow! We’d like to offer this sassy monk a parable of our own.</p>
<p>If you can’t stand the HEAT, stay out of the KITCHEN.</p>
Wed, 23 Sep 2015 00:00:00 -0400http://beststoriesonline.com/celebrity/2015/09/23/Dalai-Richardson.html
http://beststoriesonline.com/celebrity/2015/09/23/Dalai-Richardson.htmlweirdwrongcelebrity